A look at pharmacists’ role in supporting drug adherence

With research showing that the rate of adherence to mental-health prescriptions is lower than for drugs to treat other conditions, pharmacists are in a good position to support patients by optimizing medications and following up with them, says Allison Nourse, national director of pharmacy innovation at Pharmasave Drugs Ltd.

“This helps to improve outcomes and reduce costs,” she said during a session at the Pharmacy Solutions in Drug Plan Management forum in Mississauga, Ont., on Oct. 18.

As Nourse told the conference, studies indicate that while 77 per cent of individuals with depression or anxiety are in the workforce, 40 per cent of those working full-time are doing so at a reduced level of functioning.